Category: Moral teaching

Explore the ethical and moral teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba — principles of right living, integrity, compassion, and righteous conduct that form the foundation of Every devotee’s life.

  • Baba’s Methods of Teaching

    Baba’s Methods of Teaching

    Rao Bahadur bought a good Chirdi (small Sari) and presented it to the mind-servant of Kaka (Kakasaheb Dixit)

    Like a starving person getting luckily good dishes to eat, her joy knew to bounds. Next day she wore the new Sari, and out of great joy and merriment, whirled, danced round and played `Fugadi’ with other girls and excelled them all.

    The Day following, she kept the new Sari in her box at home and came with the old and torn rags, but she looked as merry as she did the previous day.

    On seeing this, Das Ganu’s pity was transferred into admiration. He thought that the girl being poor had to wear a torn rag, but now she had a new Sari which she kept in reserve and putting on the old rag, strutted herself, showing no trace of sorrow or dejection.

    Thus he realized that all our feelings of pain and pleasure depend upon the attitude of our mind.

    On thinking deeply over this incident, he realized that a man ought to enjoy whatever God has bestowed on him in the firm conviction that He besets every thing, from behind and before, and on all sides and that whatever is bestowed on him by God must be for his good.

    In this particular case, the impoverished condition of the poor girl, her torn rag and the new Sari, the donor, the dance and the acceptance were all parts of the Lord and pervaded by HIM

    Hence, Das Ganu got a practical demonstration of the lesson of the Upanishad – the lesson of contentment with one’s own lot in the belief that whatever happens, is ordained by God, and is ultimately good for us.


    Unique Method of Teaching

    In this particular case, He sent Das Ganu to Vile Parle, where he got his problem solved,through the maid-servant. To those, who say that it was not necessary to sent Das Ganu outside and that Baba could have personally taught him, we say that Baba followed the right or best course, or how else could Das Ganu would have learnt a great lesson, that the poor maid-servant and her Sari were pervaded by the Lord.

    SSSC ch-20

  • Don’t Borrow (for this)

    Baba asked “Where was the necessity of the darshan by taking a loan from a Marwari? Is the heart’s desire now satisfied?”

    Hearing these words Lakhamichand was wonderstruck at Baba’s omniscience. He was astonished to know how Baba came to know about all the things that had happened enroute from his house to Shirdi.

    The chief thing to note in this respect is that Baba never liked people to run into debt for taking His darshan, or celebrating any holiday or making any pilgrimage.

    SSSC ch-28

  • What to do, If any man or creature come to you?

    “Unless there is some relationship or connection, nobody goes anywhere. If any men or creatures come to you, do not discourteously drive them away, but receive them well and treat them, with due respect.

    Shri Hari (God) will be certainly pleased, if you give water to the thirsty, bread to the hungry, clothes to the naked, and your verandah to strangers for sitting and resting.

    If anybody wants any money from you, and you are not inclined to give, do not give, but do not bark at him, like a dog.

    Let anybody speak hundreds of things against you, do not resent by giving any bitter reply. If you always tolerate such things, you will certainly be happy.

    Let the world go topsy-turvy, you remain where you are. Standing or staying in your own place, look on calmly at the show of all things passing before you.

    Demolish the wall of difference that separates you from Me; and then the road for our meeting will be clear and open. The sense of differentiation, as I and thou, is the barrier that keeps away the disciple from his Master, and unless that is destroyed the state of union or atonement is not possible, “Allah Malik” i.e.

    God is the sole Proprietor, nobody else is our Protector. His method of work is extra-ordinary, invaluable, and inscrutable. His will will be done and He will show us the way, and satisfy our heart’s desires.

    It is on account of Rinaubandh (former relationship) that we have come together, let us love and serve each other and be happy.

  • Why Udhi /Ash is important, even now?

    Why Udhi /Ash is important, even now?

    SSSC Ch 33 says

    It is well-known that Baba took Dakshina from all. Out of the amount thus collected, He spent a lot on charity. He purchased fuel with the balance left with Him.

    This fuel He threw in the Dhuni – the sacred fire, which he kept ever burning. The ash from this fire was called Udi. It was freely distributed to the devotees at the time of their departure from Shirdi.

    What did Baba teach or hint by this Udi? Baba taught by His Udi that all the visible phenomena in the universe are as transient as the ash.

    Our bodies composed of wood or matter of the five elements will fall down. After all their enjoyments are over, they will be reduced to ashes.

    Baba distributed Udi to the devotees. This was to remind them that their bodies will be reduced to ashes.

    Baba also taught by the Udi that the Brahman is the only Reality. He taught that the universe is ephemeral. No one in this world, be he a son, father or wife, is really ours. We come here (in this world) alone and we have to go out alone.

    It was found and is even now found out, that the Udi cured many physical and mental maladies. However, Baba wanted to din into the devotee’s ears the principles of discrimination between the Unreal and the Real. He emphasized non-attachment for the Unreal, by His Udi and Dakshina.

    The former (Udi) taught us discrimination and the latter (Dakshina) taught us non-attachment. Unless we have these two things, it is not possible for us to cross over the sea of the mundane existence. So Baba asked for and took Dakshina.

    While the devotees took leave, He gave Udi as Prasad. He besmeared some of it on the Bhaktas’ foreheads. He placed His boon-conferring hand on their heads.

    So much about the spiritual implication of Udi. It had also its material significance.

    It conferred health, prosperity, freedom from anxiety, and many other worldly gains. So the Udi has helped us to gain both our ends – material as well as spiritual.

  • What to do at least at the fag end of one’s life, to get Salvation?

    What to do at least at the fag end of one’s life, to get Salvation?

    SSSC Ch:31 says-

     Baba said to Vijanand “He who surrenders himself to the Feet of Hari (Lord) will get free from all troubles and attain bliss. The Lord runs and helps him who remembers and meditates on Him with love and affection.

    Your store of past merits is considerable, so you have come here. Now attend to what I say and realise the end of your life.

    Being desireless, begin from tomorrow the study of Bhagwat. Do three ‘saptahas’ i.e. three reading during three weeks, conscientiously. The Lord will be pleased with you and destroy your sorrows, your illusions will vanish and you will get peace.”

    Seeing that his end was approaching, Baba prescribed that remedy and made him read ‘Ramavijaya’ which pleases the God of death.

    Next morning after bathing and other purifying rites he commenced to read Bhagwat in a secluded part in the Lendi garden. He completed two readings and thereafter felt much exhausted.

    He returned to the Wada and stayed in his lodging for two days and on the third day he breathed his last on Fakir (Bade) Baba’s lap.  In this way Baba helped the Sannyasi and ensured him Sadgati (salvation)

  • How to consume Food and others, to make them Good for Health and Soul?

    SSSC-CH24 says

    Baba has advised us that before the senses, mind and intellect enjoy their objects, he should first be remembered, and if this be done, it is in a way an offering to Him.

    The senses etc. can never remain without their objects, but if those objects are first offered to the Guru, the attachment for them will naturally vanish.

    In this way, all the Vrittis (thoughts) regarding Desire, Anger, Avarice etc. should first be offered and directed to the Guru and if this practice be followed, the Lord will help you in eradicating all the Vrittis.

    When before enjoyment of the objects, you think that Baba is close by, the question whether the object is fit to be enjoyed or not will at once arise.

    Then the object that is not fit to be enjoyed will be shunned and in this way our vicious habits or vices will disappear and our character will improve.

    Then love for the Guru will grow and pure knowledge will sprout up. When this knowledge grows, the bondage of body – consciousness (we are the body) will snap and our intellect will be merged in spirit-consciousness (we are the spirit). Then we shall get Bliss and contentment.

    To put the matter in a nut-shell, we should not enjoy any object with our senses etc. without first remembering our Guru. When the mind is trained in this way, we will be always reminded of Baba, and our meditation on Baba will grow apace.

  • How to bring religious harmony?

    Baba’s constant advice to all was to this effect. “Rama (the God of the Hindus) and Rahim (the God of the Mahomedans) were one and the same; there was not the slightest difference between them;

    You ignorant folk, children, join hands and bring both the communities together, act sanely and thus you will gain your object of national unity.

    It is not good to dispute and argue. So don’t argue, don’t emulate others.

    Always consider your interest and welfare. The Lord will protect you. Yoga, sacrifice, penance, and knowledge are the means to attain God. If you do not succeed in this by any means, vain is your birth.

    If any one does any evil unto you, to do not retaliate. If you can do anything, do some good unto other.” This in short was Sai Baba’s advice to all; and this will stand in Good stead both in material and spiritual matters.

    SSSC Ch 10

  • Religious peoples fighting among them, since they are following different religion. how to approach this and how to solve this, Baba?

    SSSC-Ch26 says

    All the things that we see in the universe are nothing but a play of Maya — the creative power of the Lord.

    These things do not really exist. What really exists is the Real Absolute.

    Just as we mistake a rope of a garland or a stick for a serpent on account of darkness, we always see the phenomena, i.e. things as they outwardly appear, and not the Noumenon which underlies all the visible things.

    It is only the Sad-guru that opens the eyes of our understanding and enables us to see things in their true light and not as they appear.

    That is: You both are God. See his soul, not his outer; your soul connection will help mutually. There will be no hate; only mutual helps.

  • Worker should be paid, promptly and liberally

    One day at noon, Baba came near Radha-Krishna-Mai’s house and said – “Bring Me a ladder.” Some men brought it and set it against a house as directed by Baba.

    He climbed up on the roof of Vaman Gondkar’s house, passed the roof of Radha-Krishna-Mai’s house and then got down from the other corner.

    What object Baba had, none could know. Radha-Krishna-Mai was, at that time, shivering with Malaria. It may be to drive off that fever, that He may have gone there.

    Immediately after getting down, Baba paid Rupees two to the persons who brought the ladder. Somebody asked Baba, why he paid so much for this.

    He replied that nobody should take the labour of others, in vain. The worker should be paid, his dues promptly and liberally.

  • God given! Then accept and enjoy

    As we have seen, this Upanishad is the quintessence of the Vedas. It is the science of self-realization, it is the scythe or weapon which can rend asunder the bondage of life and death, and make us free.

    Therefore, Dasganu thought, that he who has himself attained self- realization, can only give him the true or correct interpretation of the Upanishad.

    When nobody could satisfy Das Ganu, he resolved to consult Sai Baba about this, prostrated himself before Him, and mentioned his difficulties about the Ishavasya Upanishad and requested Him to give the correct solution.

    Sai Baba, blessed him and said- “You need not be anxious, there is no difficulty about the matter, the mind-servant of Kaka (Kakasaheb Dixit) will solve your doubts at Vile Parle, on your way home”.

    The people who went present then and heard this, thought that Baba was joking and said, “How could an illiterate maid-servant solve the difficulties of this nature”, but Das Garu thought otherwise. He was sure, that whatever Baba spoke, must come true, Baba’s word was the decree of the Brahma (Almighty).

    Kaka’s Maid-Servant

    On fully believing in Baba’s words, he left Shirdi and came to Vile Parle (a suburb of Bombay), and stayed with Kakasaheb Dixit.

    There the next day, when Das Ganu was enjoying his morning nap (some say when he was engaged in worship), he heard a poor girl singing a beautiful song in clear and melodious tones.

    The subject matter of the song was a crimson coloured Sari, how nice it was, how fine was its embroidery, how beautiful were its ends and borders etc.

    He liked the song so much that he came out, and saw that it was being sung by a young girl, the sister of Namya, who was a servant of Kakasaheb. The girl was cleaning vessels, and had only a torn rag on her person.

    On seeing her impoverished condition, and her jovial temperament, Das Ganu felt pity for her and when Rao Bahadur M.V.Pradhan next day gave him a pair of dhotars, he requested him to givea sari to the poor little girl also.

    Rao Bahadur bought a good Chirdi (small Sari) and presented it to her. Like a starving person getting luckily good dishes to eat, her joy knew to bounds. Next day she wore the new Sari, and out of great joy and merriment, whirled, danced round and played `Fugadi’ with other girls and excelled them all.

    The Day following, she kept the new Sari in her box at home and came with the old and torn rags, but she looked as merry as she did the previous day.

    On seeing this, Das Ganu’s pity was transferred into admiration. He thought that the girl being poor had to wear a torn rag, but now she had a new Sari which she kept in reserve and putting on the old rag, strutted herself, showing no trace of sorrow or dejection.

    Thus he realized that all our feelings of pain and pleasure depend upon the attitude of our mind.

    On thinking deeply over this incident, he realized that a man ought to enjoy whatever God has bestowed on him in the firm conviction that He besets every thing, from behind and before, and on all sides and that whatever is bestowed on him by God must be for his/our good.